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Governance - General

21 Jun 2023

Exploring governance – Part 1 What is the role of a NED?

By David Levenson

As governance codes have developed, the role played by non-executive directors (NEDs) on boards has become more prominent and exposed. In his series reflecting on how to create a high-performing board, executive coach David Levenson outlines the responsibilities of NEDs.

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Imagine walking up to a front door and peering through the peephole into somebody else’s house. How would you know what it looks like inside? Being a non-executive director is like squinting through the peephole to someone else’s house.

Like houses, enterprises come in all shapes and sizes – large global listed companies, new wave start-ups, charities and social enterprises – the list is endless. Except for very small businesses, these enterprises will usually have at least one NED and, in some cases, NEDs will comprise a majority or even the whole board.

https://www.icaew.com/technical/corporate-governance/corporate-governance-community/cgc-articles/exploring-governance-what-is-the-role-of-a-ned